Reborn as the Forgotten Princess

The rain was falling hard that night. I could barely see the road ahead of me. My dress was soaked, and my feet were covered in mud. I ran through the dark forest without looking back. But I already knew. They were coming for me. “Keep running!” a voice shouted behind me. My heart pounded. I stumbled over a tree root and fell to the ground. Pain shot through my ankle. I tried to stand, but footsteps were getting closer. I looked behind me. Three men were walking through the rain. They were wearing black clothes and carrying swords. I knew one of them. “Please,” I whispered. “Not you.” The man in front stopped. He slowly removed his hood. Prince Adrian. The man I had loved for five years. The man I had trusted with my life. He looked at me without emotion. “It's over, Elena.” My eyes filled with tears. “Adrian… why?” He didn't answer. Another figure stepped out from behind him. A woman wearing a beautiful white cloak. My sister. Isabella. She smiled at me. It was the same sweet smile she always showed our father. The same smile that had fooled everyone. “You really made this difficult,” Isabella said. I stared at her. “You did this?” She laughed softly. “You still don't understand.” I looked at Adrian. “Tell me she's lying.” He remained silent. That silence hurt more than anything. I slowly shook my head. “No.” Isabella walked toward me. “You were always lucky, Elena. Father loved you. The people loved you. Even Adrian…” She stopped. Her smile disappeared. “But everything you had should have belonged to me.” I felt something cold inside me. “So this was all planned?” “Yes.” I looked at Adrian again. “And you?” For the first time, he looked away. That was my answer. A tear rolled down my cheek. I had spent years believing that he loved me. I had defended him. Trusted him. Chosen him over everyone else. And now he was standing beside the woman who had destroyed me. “Why?” I whispered. Isabella stepped closer. “Because you were never supposed to become queen.” I laughed bitterly. “Is that why you killed Father?” Her face changed. For a moment, I saw fear in her eyes. Then it disappeared. “You know too much.” She raised her hand. One of the soldiers moved toward me. I tried to run. I didn't get far. The world suddenly went quiet. I fell to my knees. My hands trembled. I looked at Adrian one last time. He still didn't move. “Adrian…” He finally looked at me. I wanted him to save me. Just once. He didn't. My vision became blurry. The rain felt cold against my skin. I thought about my life. My childhood. My father. My mother. The little garden behind the palace. And Adrian. A strange sadness filled my heart. I had spent my whole life trusting the wrong people. My eyes slowly closed. Then everything went black. --- Bang! I opened my eyes. I sat up quickly. My breathing was heavy. My hands flew to my chest. Nothing. No wound. No blood. I touched my neck. Nothing. I looked around. A large wooden bed. Blue curtains. A golden mirror. A small table beside the bed. I knew this room. My heart stopped. “No…” I jumped out of bed. I ran toward the mirror. A young girl stared back at me. She had long black hair. Soft brown skin. Big frightened eyes. She looked about nine years old. I touched the mirror. The girl did the same. I stepped backward. “This isn't possible.” I looked at my hands. They were small. Too small. I ran to the calendar hanging beside the window. My eyes widened. Year 812. I remembered that year. It was the year before everything changed. The year before my father died. The year before Isabella began her plan. The year before I met Adrian again. My lips parted. “No…” I counted the years again. Ten years. I had gone back ten years. I was alive. I was young again. I had been given another chance. A knock came from the door. I froze. “Princess Elena?” My heart started beating faster. That voice. I knew it. It belonged to Mira. My childhood maid. The same girl who had died protecting me. I quickly opened the door. Mira stood outside holding a tray. She stared at me. “Princess? Are you all right?” I couldn't speak. I grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. Mira nearly dropped the tray. “Princess Elena?” I held her tightly. She was alive. She was really alive. Tears filled my eyes. “You're here.” Mira looked confused. “Of course I am.” I pulled away and looked at her face. In my first life, Mira had died three years before me. I had watched her disappear in the palace fire. But now she was standing in front of me. Young. Alive. Smiling. I wiped my tears. “It's nothing.” Mira tilted her head. “You were crying.” “I had a bad dream.” She smiled gently. “It must have been a terrible one.” I looked past her. The palace halls were bright and peaceful. No soldiers. No blood. No screams. Nobody had betrayed me yet. I slowly closed the door. My smile disappeared. This was not a dream. I had truly returned. I walked back to the mirror. The little girl staring at me was Princess Elena Valeria. The forgotten princess. The girl everyone thought was weak. The girl who would one day be betrayed. But I knew the future. I knew who would hurt me. I knew who would die. And I knew who would betray the kingdom. I clenched my tiny fists. This time, things would be different. I would protect Father. I would protect Mira. I would stay away from Isabella. And most importantly… I would never fall in love with Adrian again. A loud bell suddenly rang through the palace. Mira rushed to the window. “Princess!” “What is it?” She pointed outside. “The Crown Prince has arrived.” My blood turned cold. I slowly walked toward the window. In the courtyard below stood a young boy dressed in black royal clothes. Dark hair. Sharp eyes. A cold expression. Prince Adrian. He was only fifteen years old now. Ten years younger than the man who had watched me die. I stared at him. Then something strange happened. Adrian suddenly looked up. Our eyes met. He couldn't possibly know me. Not yet. But he smiled. A small, mysterious smile. Then he whispered something to the man standing beside him. I couldn't hear the words. Mira suddenly gasped. “Princess…” “What?” “The Crown Prince asked for you.” My heart sank. “Why?” Mira looked frightened. “He said…” She paused. “What did he say?” Mira swallowed. “He said he has been waiting ten years to meet you.” I stopped breathing. Ten years? That was impossible. Unless… He remembered too.